LGBQ+ Healthcare Services
VA White River Junction health care employees receive training in clinical care that is responsive to the unique needs of every Veteran. Our trained Care Coordinators are fully equipped to support the health, welfare, and dignity of you and your family. VA cares for the Veteran in front of them for who they are as an individual and their experiences past and present.
Connect with a care coordinator
Salissa Wahlers MSW, LICSW
Care Coordinator
VA White River Junction health care
Phone:
Email: Salissa.Wahlers@va.gov
LGBQ+ Care we provide at VA White River Junction health care
We promote the health, welfare, and dignity of all Veterans and their families. We focus on ensuring a safe and welcoming environment when providing you with sensitive and high-quality health care services like:
- Mental health services
- Creative arts therapies
- Testing, counseling, and care for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, counseling, and care, including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for Veterans at risk for HIV
- Other prevention, screening, wellness, and testing services
Policies and practices to know
The Care Coordinator can help you get started with care or with navigating any of these issues.
Visitation: A same-sex partner, family member, friend, or other individual can be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of the patient's stay.
Definition of family: "Family" may include individual(s) not legally related to the individual. Family members include spouses, domestic partners, different-sex and same-sex significant others.
Advance directives: Veterans may designate any person as a decision-maker for care if they won't be able to make these decisions themselves. This includes same-sex partners. Advance directive agents are chosen by the Veteran and do not need to be biologically related.
Documentation in medical records: VA White River Junction maintains the confidentiality of information about sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and more just like any other private health information.